The Technics SL-1200 GAE/G/GR general questions thread

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Halloween_Jack, Aug 1, 2018.

  1. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    I have played a little with the torque settings and I noticed some minor differences but I prefer the factory settings at the moment.
     
    classicrocker likes this.
  2. tzh21y

    tzh21y Forum Resident

    Location:
    Buffalo
    I am trying the L setting. It may be better. we will see.
     
  3. tzh21y

    tzh21y Forum Resident

    Location:
    Buffalo
    on my system I noticed major differences. Its amazing how different systems can affect the overall sound. Thats what makes the Torque adjustment such a great thing. Its there for you to make adjustments if you feel it makes a difference. I think that Youtube analogy is pretty good at explaining the effects.

    Thanks for posting
     
  4. alanbeeb

    alanbeeb Active Member

    Location:
    Edinburgh
    Hello - I've had my 1200G for over two years now and love it, it replaced a more expensive heavy horribly fiddly perspex/acrylic thread drive beast with a 12" unipivot and the techie betters it in every way.... but now I'm getting curious about changing the arm.

    Is it really worth changing the standard 1200G arm for a Jelco 850S? Is it really any better?

    Alternatively, I can get a 2nd-hand SME IV arm for a little bit more than the Jelco, but same question - is it worth it over the stock arm? Also, do the 3rd-party SME armboards really have enough adjustment space for proper cartridge alignment for a modern SME arm? I seem to recall people had trouble with these on the old 1200mk2 and mk5.

    I use a variety of carts - Ortofon 2M black, Denon DL-103r but pride of place goes to my Benz Ref S. Which doesn't sound short-changed by the current Technics arm.... but maybe something else would be better?

    Any opinions appreciated, thanks.
     
    snorker likes this.
  5. Erocka2000

    Erocka2000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    Changing to the Jelco 850S will be better depending on what cartridge you use. My Kiseki Blue NS worked great with the stock arm, but just okay with the 850S. But when I switched to a Koetsu Urushi Sky Blue, the 850S clearly out performed the stock arm. Also, keep in mind that fitting an SME IV is going to be a little challenging because of the right angle DIN connector that SME uses.

    If you do wind up changing the arm, I highly recommend using an Ammonite Audio armboard. Excellent build quality and looks like it could be a stock item.
     
  6. tzh21y

    tzh21y Forum Resident

    Location:
    Buffalo
    I have found that the lowest torque setting works best in my system. sounds great. more natural and open. YMMV as systems are all different.
     
    Upstateaudio likes this.
  7. RPM

    RPM Forum Resident

    Location:
    Easter Island
    What phono preamp you use?
     
  8. DrueB

    DrueB Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Music Hall Mini Plus, for now...
     
  9. alanbeeb

    alanbeeb Active Member

    Location:
    Edinburgh
    A Trilogy 907. I t has multiple impedance settings for MC (I use 250 for the 103r and 330 for the Ref S), and for MM it can do 100pf but that's maybe not really low enough for the 2M black after the tonearm cable & interconnect.
     
  10. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    still running the GR and it is performing perfectly- wouldn't trade it for anything (except maybe a G:).
    recently running in new speakers and have been trying out different cables and find the biggest complaint of this table is the difficult access to the rca connectors that are recessed under the back of the unit and angled toward the left (from above). i basically lift the table, rotate it up in my right hand and arm so that the bottom is facing to the left, carefully hold it above the rack and remove the cables with my left hand, very carefully while keeping it steady. i can't imagine doing it this way with the much heavier G table.
    anyone have any better suggestions on how they switch out cables?
     
    grive likes this.
  11. Gabe Walters

    Gabe Walters Forum Resident

    I remove the dust cover and 45 adaptor, make sure the arm is locked, and stand the table on its front, whenever I swap cables. It's a pain. Short answer: no, I don't have any better suggestions.
     
    avanti1960 likes this.
  12. Upstateaudio

    Upstateaudio Senior Member

    Location:
    Niskayuna, NY
    What components are in the rest of your system?
     
  13. alanbeeb

    alanbeeb Active Member

    Location:
    Edinburgh
    I tried the torque adjustment on mine, set it to manual and lowest setting... couldn't hear any difference to be honest.
    What was different was that the record slowed down when I used a cleaning brush on it. On default setting I can clean records while playing them!
     
  14. Davey

    Davey NP: Portishead ~ Portishead (1997)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Might also be an indicator you are using too much pressure on the brush.
     
  15. grive

    grive Active Member

    Location:
    eu
    Something like this ?? RCA male to female.. Take some HQ cables as short you can find to reach just outside your GR, and keep it as part of table itself. It is a little bit more expensive, but later all interconnects could be shorter. Did not try myself but also thinking about that. Question is what will be impact on SQ when mixing two cables, but this could be interesting ? this piece should be HQ and neutral IMO.

    BR
    [​IMG]
     
  16. RPM

    RPM Forum Resident

    Location:
    Easter Island
    IMO the location is just fine, something we dreamed of since the Japan only MK4.
    [​IMG]
     
  17. grive

    grive Active Member

    Location:
    eu
    Hello everybody. I am new here on forum, and also new owner of 1210GR black. Changed my old Denon DP300F (with Ortofon blue and upgraded cables). This is new dimension in every aspect (Denon didn't sounded bad at all...but..)
    At the moment running GR with 2m Black on Primaluna Dialogue HP Premium (8xKT150 +6 x NOS 12au7) + Focal floorstanders. This combo is running almost 8 hours without brake. I can not recognize some of my records; it is so good...

    But... First hour the sound was bad, so I took cartridge, shell and made setup again.. but result was the same ??! I left it spin and after 1,5 hours everything changed . Expect to see full potential after 50 hours or so. I use original mat, main and interconnect, so I will play with that in future ( I have some good stuff at home), but at the moment I will not change nothing at all because (to me) it is perfect. I run 2mBlack through Primaluna phono stage, and it is fantastic (comparing to Emotiva XPS gen2 and some Rega phono's; did not try a lot of them). Primaluna have only MM stage.
    On the way is Lehmann audio black cube Decade and thinking of some MC cartridges , so I expect more fun and music listening . Thinking about Cadenza Blue/benz micro gider/wood/Hana SL...?

    Also would to thank everybody sharing knowledge and experience on this forum. This is also why I have bought GR. ( and my platter is perfectly balanced and without any visible Up/down or L/R movement at all. )

    BR
     
  18. grive

    grive Active Member

    Location:
    eu
  19. Drewan77

    Drewan77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK/USA
    It will add capacitance (affect treble response).
     
  20. grive

    grive Active Member

    Location:
    eu
    It will. But today you can find very low cap cable(30 to 70pF/m) , very well shielded cables. Length is also important, so as I said, shorter-better. Just an idea for somebody to try and play with that ( if need that ). I will try as I have some cables around. I think it is not only capacitance in game here (resistance, shielding, wire type, length, connectors) and synergy between. But that is why this hobby is fun...
     
  21. Slick Willie

    Slick Willie Decisively Indecisive

    Location:
    sweet VA.

    Seems it wouldn't be worth the risk of losing SQ as cable changes for most are infrequent.
    Fixing a problem that doesn't exist?
     
    grive, snorker and bever70 like this.
  22. grive

    grive Active Member

    Location:
    eu
    Usually keep cables on place for long time , until I want something new :cool:. So for me this is not very important, could be only game.
     
  23. snorker

    snorker Big Daddy

    With the cartridges you have the stock arm is excellent imo. I use a Benz Micro Wood SL and Ortofon/KAB Pro S 40. However, the KAB TD-1000 fluid damper took the arm to the next level. I suggest you try that before changing the tonearm. I think you’ll be pleased.
     
    alanbeeb likes this.
  24. grive

    grive Active Member

    Location:
    eu
    Any opinion on MC cartridge. Thinking about Cadenza Blue (thanx Avanti) /benz micro gider/wood / Hana SL...? I have read here, and on other forums as well a lot , and audition some but in different system. Anybody with G/GR and Primaluna amp maybe ?
     
  25. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    Or you can try the AT ART-9. The Cadenza Blue is also good. It depends on the rest of your system and what you are looking for in the sound.
     
    avanti1960 likes this.

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